The Sword of Iskandar: Part Seven: They Might Be Giants
by Gillen1962
Summary: All roads lead to Malkooth but not every one is on the same path. Ethan, Annie, Sam and Sinclair are in the hands of David Gray: Peter, Lulu and Molly are captured by the provisional government and Drew and Serena are in clutches of the Basil Cult. Alexandria has plans to play all hands against each other. Meanwhile back in Port Charles Cameron needs to speak with Nisida.


_The Sword of Iskandar: Part Six: They Might Be Giants_

Ethan Lovett was a fortunate man on many levels, the son of Luke Spencer and Holly Sutton he had inherited many of the various gifts of his parents. As he woke up on the cold floor of the cell that he was currently sharing with Annie Donnelly, Sam McCall and his cousin Sinclair Dunbar, his mind clicked to a genetic gift that he owed to some Sutton-Dunbar-Anderson or Spencer from generations past. An uncannily accurate body clock.

Ethan was always acutely aware of what time it was and how much time had passed since a major event. It was near seven PM he assumed from the position of the sun coming through the cell window and it had been given the time difference about two days since the four had been captured by David Gray as part of some mad quest either for vengeance against Luke or to regain the throne of the Balkan Nation of Malkooth.

Annie was snuggled up against him. She stirred slowly. Sam sat across from them her back against the far wall and Sinclair a sleep in her lap.

"Good to see you two getting closer EMO." Annie said as her eyes opened.

"I have no idea how he got there. But I am too fed up to wake him up." Sam snarled.

"We have seven days to get out of here ladies" Ethan said.

"Why did something happened while I slept?" asked Sam. "Did one of the gurads say that Gray had declared himself king or something?"

Ethan cracked his neck. "No, haven't seen a guard all night. But the Halloween Party at Luke's place is in eight days. I need to be home in seven."

"Well that settles it" said Annie. "I'm going to go back to sleep for two more days, then we will break out with time to spare."

"Works for me" Ethan said with a smile.

Sam shifted and Sinclair began to stir. "Do you people take anything seriously?" She snapped at Ethan and Annie.

"Tacos" Annie said. "I take Tacos very seriously."

"And gin. Really good gin should be highly respected" Ethan added.

"Tacos and Gin, there you have it EMO."

"We are trapped in a cell by a crazy man who thinks an ancient sword will make him King of a postage stamp country. We haven't eaten, barely had anything to drink, been in these same embarrassing clothes for days and you two keep finding this funny!" She stood up. Sinclair's head hit the ground and he made an ouch sound before going back to sleep

Ethan shook his head. "Look Sam, everything you say is absolutely correct. And believe me we have all been keeping an eye open for a way out of this mess, but what would you like us to do? All stand around like Jason, looking grim, sober and like we have a broom stick up our booty?"

"Now wait a minute. Jason has been in a lot of dangerous situations" Sam said defensively.

"And so, have I, and so has Annie and even Dunbar there has been in his share of scraps. And this like a dozen others may be life or death but I'll be damned if I die with a look on my face that makes the undertaker say, 'poor bloke he needed an enema.'"

Before Sam could answer three armed guards appeared at the cell door. "Rise for your King."

Ethan and Annie promptly sat down. Sam rolled her eyes.

Kristina had not been to the apartments above Kelly's in years. She turned a corner and heard voices. She walked to the door and listened.

"So, you began working as a prostitute when you were just fourteen?" Dillon asked.

"Yes. I worked for a man in the Bronx, who also had me doing camera work on some web sites." Nisida said.

"And he took all of the money?"

"What he did not take my father drank" Commented Nisida.

Kristina recognized the voices and slowly opened the door a crack. She looked in. She knew something about sets, sound and lighting from her days on the unfairly canceled Mafia Princess.

As Dillon continued his interview she silently snuck into the room.

Kristina looked around and figured out what was going on. The back light kept Nisida's face hidden and the sound board was disguising her voice.

That bitch was trying to hide from people what she was. She sold me drugs; Kristina thought it was her fault as much as anyone else's that she had been raped and humiliated. Nisida had caused all of her recent pain.

"I want to ask this with as much sensitivity as I can "Dillon said. "There were some very bad days were there not?"

Kristina could see the grimace on Nisida's face. She moved quickly across the room.

"Yes. The man I first worked for sold me to another more powerful man. He made me a stripper in his club. I was expected to accommodate the men there."

"And that happened often?" Dillon asked.

"Daily" Nisida said. "I recall one day when I was forced to have sex with more than a dozen men"

It was just as she was saying this that Kristina pulled the plug on the studio light and Nisida's face was broadcast to the entire audience.

Hayden noticed it first and hit the kill switch a second before Dillon and Nisida realized that her face had gone out over the airwaves.

"What the hell?" Dillon yelled. "Roll something thirty seconds"

His producer scrambled to get the light back up.

"Get Nisida out of here" Said Dillon

Hayden took the girl who was shaking violently. "It's okay, it's okay" Hayden said as she led her out.

In the hallway of Kelly's Hayden tried to calm the crying girl

"My face you swore. My face"

Hearing the noise in the hall Rovena raced up stairs. "What is going on?" She said.

"Some one tripped the light and we broadcast Nisida's face for a moment. "

"What? Who?"

Has Rovena asked Kristina brushed passed her in the crowded hall.

She was at the top of the staircase when Rovena's tackle hit her. "You bitch"

The two women tumbled down the stairs landing on the floor of Kelly's

Elizabeth Heard the coffee cup crash on the floor from the living room. She stepped into the Kitchen where Cameron stood staring at the TV in shock.

"Cam?"

His breathing came in spurts. "I need to go to Kelly's" He said.

"You have school in thirty minutes."

"Mom, please. They were interviewing this girl on Good Morning Port Charles, they had her behind a screen someone knocked the lights down and showed her face. It was Nisida."

"What? Why?"

"They were talking about being a prostitute. Mom, I have to see her and make sure she is okay. Please"

Elizabeth nodded. "Get your school stuff. I'll tell Franco to get Jake and Aidan to school. I'll take you to Kelly's. Go!"

Kristina scrambled up to her feet. Rovena got up and swung a balled fist into Kristina's mouth, a tooth flew out. She was rearing up to hit again when Jax grabbed her from behind. "Whoa whooa what is going on"

Hayden came down the stairs, a still sobbing Nisida clinging to her. "Kristina tripped the lights and exposed Nisida out across the feed. Her identity was compromised."

Alexis was up. "You" She screamed at Rovena. "Who do you think you are hitting my child."

"I'm the person who's going to gut your child like the little pig she is and send her innards floating down the river." Snapped Rovena.

"Okay, okay" said Jax. "Everyone calm down." Jax looked around the diner wishing for the first time in his life that Jason had not walked out a few minutes before.

Kristina looked at her mother and cried. "It was an accident Mommy honest."

She buried her head in Alexis arms. "I am sure it was."

"And I am sure it wasn't Alexis" Said Hayden. "It was intentional and damaging."

"I am sure that is not the case" Alexis said.

"Get out!" Rovena yelled. "Get out of my diner. Both of you. Never come in here again. Get out."

Kristina lifted her head. "My nephew is upstairs we are not leaving without him; his father is not here and he cannot be left with a murderous thug like you!"

Hayden cocked her head and smiled sweetly. "Is this the point where I point out that the boy's father is a murderous thug?"

"Was" said Rovena

"No, it is not" said Jax.

Alexis took out her phone. "I'm calling the police and filing assault charges."

Dillon came down the stairs. "You go ahead and do that Alexis, and I will file trespass and vandalism charges. While everything gets straighten out Rovena and Kristina can share a cell."

"I will not let that happen."

Dillon smiled. "Alexis, I like you, I always have and I respect you, but do you really want to see who has more clout at the PCPD right now? The Quartermaine's and the girl who helped rid Port Charles of a crime Lord, or the mother of one of Sonny Corinthos' kids?"

Jax stepped Forward, "All right everybody take a step back."

Dillon turned. "Boss, I need a feed out front. I got like two minutes."

"I have this, no one is going to call the police." Jax said.

Dillon nodded and followed by his camera man went out the diner door.

Nisida slumped into a booth. Still sobbing. Hayden walked over and patted her head. "It's okay"

"What if Cameron saw?" she sobbed.

"Then he'd know what a slut you are." Snapped Kristina.

Rovena went to swing again and Jax caught her around the waits lifting her off the ground. "Alexis go please" He said.

Alexis snatched Kristina's hand and stormed out.

Jax let go of Rovena who spotted Kristina's tooth on the floor she picked it up and raced to the door. She tossed it just over Dillon's head as he began to broadcast "You forgot this!"

Molly Cassadine Lansing woke up on a large couch in an office she did not recognize. Her mouth tasted like cotton and she made a sucking noise with her tongue.

A well-dressed man in his late thirties with dark brown hair and brown eyes, Walked over to her with a glass of water.

"Here drink this, the gas leaves an after taste."

Molly looked at the glass and shook her head no. The man nodded and took a sip of the water. "Please" he said. "It is just water."

Carefully Molly took the glass and drank the water slowly.

"Where am I?" She asked slowly.

"The parliament building in Goremia the capital of Malkooth" The man said. "I am Prime Minister Gregor Shakur."

Molly sat up on the couch. "I would say nice to meet you but it's not."

Shakur nodded. "I am sorry that we needed to meet under these circumstances Ms. Lansing, but my nation is at war and I need your assistance."

"Strange way of asking for it."

"I had little choice. The United States has all but forgotten the tragic three-way conflict that is tearing our country apart."

"What does that have to do with me?" Molly asked.

"As a Cassadine Princess you are in line for our throne, and David Gray is attempting to regain the throne and destroy democracy."

"David Gray, the whacko who tried to kill me in France?"

Shakur nodded. "Yes."

"I still am not seeing my role, or why you felt you had to kidnap me."

"An American journalist reporting on the civil war here, who is also opposed to the monarchy is a valuable tool."

"As a journalist I will not be used as a tool, and if you wanted me to come and cover the story you should have called my editor."

Shakur smiled. "There was no need to call him. "

He pressed a button on the intercom on his desk and said "Bring them in."

The office door opened, and four armed guards led Peter August and Lulu Falconeri into the room.

Drew and Serena sat across from each other in the middle of the elaborately set long dining table. Serena's sister Livvie, decked out like some female Che Guevara, with Vampire Fangs and Basil DeLestrade, the leader of both Livvie's vampire coven and an insurgent group of rebels in the increasingly confusing Civil War in Malkooth sat at either end.

"So, just so I have this clear." Drew said sipping a rather excellent if very dark red wine. "Your goal is to declare Malkooth a safety kingdom for Vampires?"

Basil smiled softly. "Yes and No, Petty Officer Cain, I wish us to be a safe sanctuary for all those who are oppressed all over the globe for their differences."

Livvie spoke up as well. "Drew, we are looking to be a place for those who follow the Vampire lifestyle, Wicca, Satanism and other dark arts but also for those who are simply goths, or outcast in their own nations in some way."

Serena shook her head. "I guess I always thought that was what the United States was for."

Basil laughed. "Please Captain Baldwin, you know better, when has America ever truly embraced the different, you massacred the native tribes, enslaved African Americans, barred the Chinese, committed hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community, and now ban Muslims. "

"Those are all abnormalities and far more complicated matters then you are making them out to be, Sir." Drew said with a hint of anger.

"Perhaps, but we would seek to eliminate the rise of such political entities as America's Next Wave party in our new Malkooth."

"By eliminating the freedom to oppose?" Drew asked.

"By eliminating the need to oppose." Livvie countered.

Serena took a deep breath. "Okay, I guess I can respect that but I'm here for my sister not a revolution. Livvie: Mom, Dad and Kevin are all very worried about you."

"They all rejected me when I embraced the darkness" Livvie answered.

"And parents are not allowed regrets or mistakes?" Serena asked. "They are sorry, they just want you to come home and so do I."

"This is my home Serena." Livvie said as she got up and walked the length of the table to drape her arms around Basil. "This is where I have chosen to make my stand."

Basil stroked her arm. "After the revolution, Livvie's family is more than welcome to come and visit. I look forward to greeting them both as Livvie's betrothed and the Master of Malkooth."

Drew mouthed the word "betrothed?" to Serena who ignored him.

"Livvie, I cannot force you to come home, but can I ask that you stay in touch more often?"

"It is hard to do so in a war zone Sister, as you will see."

"What does that mean?" Drew asked.

Basil sighed. "I am sorry. I truly am, but we cannot let two people with your military experience leave us at this time."

"What?" Serena said standing up. "What are you saying?"

"You have been in our headquarters; you have seen our troops. If I were to allow you to leave and you gave this information to either of the opposition then you would compromise our security."

"So, we are your prisoners?" Drew said.

"Our guests" Basil said. In the distance an echo shudder through the castle. Drew and Serena both recognized mortar fire. "But not for long, the final battle has begun."

"Allow me to understand this." Alexandria Quartermaine said exasperated. "David Gray, has the Sword and is in Malkooth?"

Alastair Dunbar nodded sheepishly. "Yes Madame."

"Correct me if I am wrong Alastair but were, they not the two things I told you to prevent at all cost?"

"Yes Madame."

"I so wish we were in 15th Century Japan where I could simply order you to kill yourself for your failure."

Alastair was not sure it was the correct answer but said. "Yes Madame" anyway.

"Listen to me very carefully you simpleton." Alexandria said. "Get my private jet ready, gather the best forces we have. An elite force. Use the men Jerry Jacks trained for us."

"Yes Madame."

"I wish to leave for Malkooth with them within the hour. We will land at the airfield near power plant two."

"About the power plants Madame." Alastair said.

"You are about to make this more difficult are you not?"

"Yes. Peter August has discovered his 'ownership' of the plants. And he is in Malkooth."

Alexandria waved her hand. "Is that all? It would be best if you spit it all out you sniveling toad before I lose my temper."

"August, Lulu Falconeri and Molly Cassadine are all being held by the provisional government."

'I sense there is more?"

"Our sources tell me that Drew Cain and Serena Baldwin are being held by the Basil Cult."

Alexandria began to laugh manically "So we have three groups of people I hate being held by the three groups that wish to rule Malkooth?"

"Yes."

She clapped her hands. "Wonderful, wonderful. This is even better than I hoped."

Alastair was confused. "Madame?"

"Prepare our force and get the plane ready. Get Miss Bentley. I want her here at the mansion to watch over Fatima and Ms. Hutchinson. Did you deliver my message to Dr. Obrecht?"

"Yes."

"And her response?"

"Go to Hades."

"Have her brought here by force."

"Yes Madame. Before or after you leave?"

"Either an armed guard or two and, Miss Bentley pleading for help, for poor little Jenny may appeal more to Liesel now that she has become weak than threats from me. If that does not work, then take that sniveling twit that mother's her grandchild and threaten her in front of Liesel."

"Yes Madame."

"Contact our person in the Mayors Office have them watch Little Laura closely. And finally, as soon as the plane is ready and we are in the air, have our people leak to the local and national media the predicament of our poor fellow Port Charles residents captured in Malkooth."

"Which ones?"

"All of them Alastair, we are going to play all ends against the middle."

Alastair Dunbar was very sure that Alexandria Quartermaine was insane, but he was far to afraid to say so.

The guards nudged Ethan and Annie to their feet. Sinclair stretched and said "Breakfast?"

"Shut up Dunbar." David Gray said as he entered the cell. "How are we all this morning?"

Ethan lifted his arm. "Ripe, a shower would be nice."

"Even if we must do so in a group." Sinclair said smiling at Sam.

"yuck"

"And after your shower perhaps some breakfast?" Gray asked.

"That would be Lovely" Annie said.

Sam had, had enough she made a quick sidestep around Sinclair and kicked the guard in front of her hard in the shin. She grabbed his Uzi and pointed it at Gray.

"Tell your guards to drop their weapons or I will blow your head off."

"At which point they will open fire and kill you all Ms. McCall." Gray said pleasantly.

"I mean it" Sam said.

"As do I, please understand Ms. McCall I am fighting to keep my nation out of the hands of the likes of Alexandria Quartermaine. If I am killed, then my supporters will simply seek out the next in line to the throne. At this point that would be your sister Princess Molly Cassadine who is being held by the provisional democratic government."

"What"

"They got Pop-Tart?" said Annie

Gray sighed "Yes. The provisional government, which is deeply beholden to Russian Oligarchs is holding Ms. Cassadine hostage, along with Peter August and Lulu Falconeri."

Ethan and Annie looked at each other and nodded.

"Now would you like to help me defeat the provincials and free your friends and siblings or would you rather die in this cell?"

"I vote with keep on living" Sinclair commented.

"Yeah I am with that one too" Annie said.

"Makes three of us, as long as we also free Lulu and Molly."

Sam shook her head; things never got this complicated with Jason.

"Hand over the weapon Ms. McCall, my guards will take you to freshen up and then we will have breakfast, even though it is dinner time, such an interesting American custom. "He looked. "They will also find you some more appropriate clothing, you look like women of the night."

"Women of the night?" Sinclair said.

"Hookers" Ethan replied.

"Do we get new clothes too?" Sinclair asked.

Sam handed the Uzi to one of the guards as the group followed Gray out of the cell.

"We get new outfits Sinclair, not you, that tux is rented, and I intend to return it, bad enough I am going to end up getting hit with a cleaning fee." Ethan said.

"That did not go well" Hayden Barnes said to Jaspar Jax and Dillon Quartermaine as they sat at a table at Kelly's.

Dillon looked over to another table where the girl Nisida sat her head down crying softly while Rovena tried to comfort her. "I feel awful for Nisida, but truthfully we all know the ratings will be through the roof, this will be picked up by every news media outlet in the state and go viral on social media."

Hayden took out her phone and checked. "He's right it is already trending."

"Wonderful so we have a successful show at the cost of a young girls dignity." Jax said.

"That Jax is the news business." Dillon said.

"I need to talk to her." Jax said beginning to get up. Hayden put her hand on Jax's arm as Cameron and Elizabeth came in the door.

"Give it a minute."

Elizabeth came over and sat next to Rovena on one side of the booth. Cameron knelt next to Nisida.

"Hey" He said.

She picked up her head "Oh Cameron I am so sorry." She sobbed.

Cameron stroked her hair. "Hey, come on let's go out front and talk." He held his hand out. Slowly Nisida took it and got up.

"Do not get caught by the truant officer" Elizabeth said.

"I don't think they have those anymore" Rovena whispered.

Elizabeth walked over to the table where Jax, Hayden and Dillon were sitting as the two teens left the diner.

"I have seen the three of you each do some pretty irresponsible things over the years, who knew that together you could top yourselves? What the hell were you thinking?"

"Elizabeth, we never meant for her identity to be exposed." Hayden said.

"And yet it was" Elizabeth commented. "Did it ever enter the minds of any one of you that doing a private interview in a public place may not have been the best idea in the world?"

"We said we were sorry Elizabeth what more can we do?" Hayden said.

Elizabeth nodded. "You can use your media outlets, your on-line service, your money and your influence to help as many of the girls like Nisida out there that you can. Not for ratings and not for profit but because it is right."

At one of the outdoor tables Cameron and Nisida sat holding hands across the table.

"I am sorry that I did not tell you, Cameron, I was so ashamed of what I had been."

Cameron smiled. "Everyone has a past Nisi."

The girl smiled. "You have a past?"

"I'll have you know that I have brought marijuana."

"You have brought weed?" She said smiling.

"Yes." Cameron said. Then mumbled. "Once and I didn't smoke any."

Nisida tried to hold her laughter. She could not.

Both teens laughed for a moment then Nisida looked somber again. "So, we can continue to be friends?"

"Yes" Said Cameron He leaned across the table and kissed her on the cheek. She smiled and looked at him. He leaned in closer and kissed her lips.

"Okay" Said Elizabeth grabbing Camron by the ear. "I am all in favor of young romance, I had one myself once, this cute boy who lived in a box car, but you Cameron Webber need to get to school."

"Mom!"

Nisida saw Elizabeth wink at her and she smiled.

"it is okay Cameron; I will be here at the diner when school lets out."

Elizabeth let go of Camron's ear. She ruffled her son's hair. "Go ahead if she gives you permission kiss her again and then let's get going." She walked away towards the car.

"Do I have permission?" Cameron asked.

"Po" Nisida said.

"Po?"

"Yes, in Albanian, you are going to need to learn Albanian"

"Yes" Said Cameron as he kissed her "I am."

Anna Devane sat with Kevin Collins and Laura Webber in Lucky and Soumia's living room. The newly engaged couple had left, for Kelley's diner to check on their ward Nisida.

Anna knew how worried Lucky was for Ethan and Annie, she felt the same way, and she shared his frustration with the inability to the Bureau to do anything. For now, they would need to trust the skills of their missing family.

Kevin rubbed his eyes, he had worked a night shift at General Hospital "I know we are all concerned about Ethan and Annie, but are we any closer to understanding what this Jenny girl has to do with Laura's memories."

Anna was glad for the distraction. She had turned the TV which was mounted on the wall on over an hour ago but its droning repeat of the day's news did nothing to give her comfort.

"I think" She said. "That we need to center in on the period of time that Laura knew Alexandria."

Laura and Kevin looked at her and gave weak smiles, they were as distracted as she was.

"Is there anything you can think of during that period of time that Alexandria may want?" Anna continued.

"I was working for ELQ in those days, maybe some corporate documents, a way to take over the family fortune?" Laura answered.

"Or something related to the Ice Princess or the Island?" Kevin said.

Anna shook her head. "Let's hope not that is one kettle of fish none of us need."

"What are you doing here" Snapped Lulu to Molly as the guards led them over to the couch she was sitting on and motioned for them to sit. "This is my story."

"Well I am sorry that my kidnapping got in the way of your story Lulu." Molly responded.

"You need to release us right now; we are all members of the American press."

Shakur shook his head. "Do not cross me Mr. August your reactors have been the linchpin of the royal family's power, no pun intended, in this country for decades, I have little use for the American who has so exploited my people."

"I had no idea that I even owned those reactors till a few days ago" Peter said.

"And I am a fool that was born yesterday." Shakur answered.

"Well that will make a nice headline" Said Lulu.

Shakur smiled. "Ms. Falconeri you do realize that of the three of you, you are the most expendable correct?"

"Look if you want me to sign over those plants to the democratic government that I will do so." Peter said, "Just let us go."

"He doesn't want you to sign them to the government Peter" Molly commented. "This government is so in debt to the Oligarchs that the only chance he has of digging out is giving them ownership. Isn't that right?"

"How do you know that?" Lulu asked.

"Research why would I come to this part of the world without researching all the players." Molly said. "My only follow up is, are you working with Alexandria Quartermaine or against her?"

"Princess" Shakur said "I give the orders here. And my orders are very simple, the three of you will begin live broadcasting from here, alerting the American Media and Government and her people to the plight that the people of Malkooth face and how much this free and democratic government needs the intervention of American forces or we will fall."

"And if we refuse?" Lulu asked.

"Then I will kill you one by one, starting with you Ms. Falconeri"

Drew and Serena stood with Basil and Livvie on the western parapet of the castle. A mortar landed just a few feet from the castle walls

"Why don't they just call in an air strike?" Drew asked.

"We literally straddle the border Chief if even the smallest part of the rubble were to cross to the eastern side, they risk war." Answered Basil.

"Which is why you are hold up here" Serena said.

"We are the smallest of the forces" Basil commented. "I will use what advantage I can."

"Then turn around and run the other way, that is your best advantage, because that fire is going to get closer and closer and they are going to seal you off in here" Drew commented.

"Unless we can sabotage their forces and send them fleeing into the mountains and thus turn this into a victory." Livvie said.

"You would need to be able to turn into real bats in order to do that sister." Serena commented.

"I do not need Bats; I now have a seal" Basil said smiling.

"No, you do not. I am not getting involved in the internal conflict of another nation, one in which my own government has been very careful not to choose sides in."

Another mortar blast landed within feet of them.

"I was not giving you a choice Chief Cain; I was giving you an order." Basil said.

"I do not take orders from you."

"No, you may not but everyone else in this castle does, and if you do not do as I ask, well then I am afraid I will have to kill Captain Baldwin."

"Livvie" Serena said turning to her sister.

"I am sorry Serena, but we are in the midst of a revolution we cannot sit on the sidelines"

Rovena was glad to see that after speaking with Cameron Nisida had regain some of her composure. She was still shell shocked but was well enough to be sitting with Dillon answering some questions.

Hayden and Jax were huddled at a table talking.

The girl still looked so upset, and who could blame her. Rovena placed a cup of tea in front of Nisida and was about to say something when the phone rang and Lucky and Soumia came in.

As Rovena went to answer the phone, Nisida bolted up and ran into Soumia's arms. "Mami" she sobbed. "I should have told you what I was doing here today."

Soumia stroked the back of the girl's head and made hushing sounds. "Mami?" she mouthed to Lucky who just smiled.

Then he turned grimmer and walked over to his stepbrother Dillon and said. "Give me one good reason not to punch you in the mouth?"

Dillon stood up and nodded. "There isn't one Lucky, there is not one good reason."

Jax walked over to Lucky. "I take full responsibility for this Lucky, I am sorry." He held his hand out.

Lucky shook it with some reluctance. "Okay. I have never known either of you to intentionally hurt someone. "

Before any of the three men could say anything Rovena slammed the phone down.

"Damn it" she yelled.

"What?" Jax asked.

"That was Detective Spencer" She said throwing Lucky a hard look. "Apparently Kristina went ahead and filed charges against me, she would like me to come down to the station house and give a statement."

"Are they arresting you?" Hayden asked.

"Just gathering information or so she claims."

"I will go with you and explain the whole thing to Valerie and Mac." Jax said.

A staff member from Good Morning Port Charles came over to Hayden and whispered in her ear.

She stepped away taking the staffers phone as she did. "Wow" She said. "Dillon a minute."

Dillon stepped over to her and she showed him the phone.

"Is that confirmed?"

"Yes"

Dillon spoke loudly to the staff members floating around the diner. "Guys what's on? We need to break into everything we have going on, on the streaming service."

"What" Said Jax. "No one does that."

"We have to, we have to be different, people need to know we are cutting edge, not just streaming programming they can watch any time, but the news they need when it is happening, and here in Port Charles this is news they need. Trust me Jax."

Jax nodded to the crew.

Soumia moved Nisida behind the Kelly's counter and she and Rovena stepped in front of her shielding her from view.

A staff member with a handheld camera stepped in front of Dillon while another staff member put a mic on him.

Hayden looked at a well lite sound board and listened to a feed in her ear. "We have break in across all the stream, Dillon, in six, five, four, three, two, NOW"

"We are sorry to interrupt your viewing But Aurora Media at Outback Studios has received breaking news of vital importance to the city of Port Charles and it's surrounding area: We have heard from reliable sources that Seven members of our Port Charles Community have been taken hostage by various factions in the ongoing conflict in the nation of Malkooth"

In Lucky and Soumia's living room, Anna Devane spotted Dillon suddenly on the TV Screen and turned up the volume.

"Confirmed Sources have told Aurora Media that Ethan Lovett, Annie Donnelly, and Sam McCall have been taken by a faction supporting the return of the monarchy led by the previously presumed dead David Gray, while Drew Cain and Serena Baldwin are being held by the cult faction of Basil DeLestrade. We also have confirmed reports that Lulu Falconeri, Molly Cassadine-Lansing and Intruder owner Peter August are either being held or are working with the Democratic Peoples republican forces in this ongoing melee in the nation of Malkooth. We are going to return you to your regularly scheduled programming now. As soon as we have more information we will be back on live. This is Dillon Quartermaine, keeping our friends caught in this conflict in our prayers."

Next: Love in the Time of War: Part One: While the Storm Clouds Gather


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